Crime in High Street, Waltham Forest: statistics, rates and trends
2,531 crimes were recorded in High Street, Waltham Forest in the 12 months to August 2026, 234.2 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in High Street, Waltham Forest at a glance
- Crime trends in High Street, Waltham Forest
- Types of crime in High Street, Waltham Forest
- High Street, Waltham Forest compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in High Street, Waltham Forest
- What happened after crimes were reported in High Street, Waltham Forest
- Demographics of High Street, Waltham Forest
- Questions about crime in High Street, Waltham Forest
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (536), anti-social behaviour (502) and theft from the person (272) made up 52% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 141st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | High Street, Waltham Forest | Waltham Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,531 | 29,459 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 234.2 | 105.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 10,809 | 279,737 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in High Street, Waltham Forest peaked in the year to August 2024 (2,696 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (2,391). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 3%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,531 | 234.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,606 | 241.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,696 | 249.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,453 | 226.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,420 | 223.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,391 | 221.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,512 | 232.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,642 | 244.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,597 | 240.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 193 |
| July 2026 | 202 |
| June 2026 | 198 |
| May 2026 | 214 |
| April 2026 | 210 |
| March 2026 | 232 |
| February 2026 | 223 |
| January 2026 | 234 |
| December 2025 | 208 |
| November 2025 | 223 |
| October 2025 | 202 |
| September 2025 | 192 |
Compared with England and Wales, High Street, Waltham Forest recorded notably more theft from the person (15.0 times the national rate), robbery (4.9 times the national rate) and other theft (3.4 times the national rate). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 209 to 266 and burglary rose from 72 to 91, while theft from the person fell from 430 to 272 and robbery fell from 101 to 72.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 536 | 49.6 | 34.2 | +16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 502 | 46.4 | 15.4 | -5% |
| Theft from the person | 272 | 25.2 | 1.7 | -37% |
| Shoplifting | 266 | 24.6 | 8.5 | +27% |
| Other theft | 240 | 22.2 | 6.4 | +7% |
| Public order | 149 | 13.8 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Vehicle crime | 121 | 11.2 | 5.0 | -20% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 111 | 10.3 | 6.7 | +1% |
| Drugs | 97 | 9.0 | 3.3 | -15% |
| Burglary | 91 | 8.4 | 3.6 | +26% |
| Robbery | 72 | 6.7 | 1.4 | -29% |
| Bicycle theft | 30 | 2.8 | 0.8 | -17% |
| Other crime | 24 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 0% |
| Possession of weapons | 20 | 1.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
High Street, Waltham Forest has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs High Street, Waltham Forest |
|---|---|---|---|
| St James | 1,357 | 87.3 | -63% |
| Markhouse | 613 | 77.3 | -67% |
| William Morris | 1,202 | 85.9 | -63% |
| Hoe Street | 1,674 | 117.7 | -50% |
| Lea Bridge | 2,435 | 139.4 | -40% |
| Higham Hill | 1,271 | 82.3 | -65% |
| Wood Street | 1,168 | 106.6 | -54% |
| Chapel End | 1,136 | 90.5 | -61% |
The 10 locations below account for 58% of the crime recorded in High Street, Waltham Forest over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (453).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 453 |
| On or near Gillards Way | 212 |
| On or near St James'S Street | 172 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 127 |
| On or near Tower Mews | 103 |
| On or near Parking Area | 100 |
| On or near Selborne Road | 93 |
| On or near Hatherley Mews | 66 |
| On or near Police Station | 66 |
| On or near Brunner Road | 65 |
Of the 2,029 crimes in High Street, Waltham Forest with a recorded outcome, 53% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 502 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,085 | 53.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 410 | 20.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 197 | 9.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 126 | 6.2% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 77 | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 73 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 25 | 1.2% | 0.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 21 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.5% |
High Street, Waltham Forest has an estimated population of 10,809 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (58%, against 23%), more private renting (41%, against 20%) and fewer retired residents (7.6%, against 21.6%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up High Street, Waltham Forest average decile 3.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | High Street, Waltham Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 7.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 67.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 7.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 49.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 57.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 43.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 40.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is High Street, Waltham Forest a safe place to live?
High Street, Waltham Forest recorded 234.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 141st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were theft from the person and robbery.
What is the most common crime in High Street, Waltham Forest?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 536 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (502).
Is crime in High Street, Waltham Forest going up or down?
Recorded crime in High Street, Waltham Forest was down 3% on the year before: 2,531 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,606 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of High Street, Waltham Forest?
About 10,809 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 7.3% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers High Street, Waltham Forest?
High Street, Waltham Forest is policed by Metropolitan Police.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.